


Without the Titles and the Jewels

by enkelimagnus



Series: SH WLW fic bingo [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Infanta Isabelle, Pirate King Maia, Pirates and royalty au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-07-31 01:11:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20106718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enkelimagnus/pseuds/enkelimagnus
Summary: Rumors were flying around the palace. They said the Pirate King was small and frail. They’d all expected the famed warrior they had all imagined, tall and strong and scary, but it seemed like this one was… not.---------Infanta Isabel is a bored princess, living a lonely, thrill-free life. When her friend Clarisa tells her that the famous Pirate King is in fact a woman, Isabel decides that she wants to save her. Unfortunately for her, the Pirate King might just be the only person that will not bow to her wishes...





	Without the Titles and the Jewels

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up being a huge surprise for me because I really wasn't expecting this to be a multichapter when I started writing it! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story of Infanta Isabel and the Pirate King. 
> 
> Because I'm slightly insane and want to make my life harder, I decided the names of the characters would be in their Spanish version so:
> 
> Isabelle : Isabel  
Clarissa: Clarisa  
Alexander: Alejandro  
Robert: Roberto  
Maryse: Marisa
> 
> Izzy is called Infanta (princess), Alteza Real (Royal Highness), or Señora (Madam).  
Alec is referred to as the Principe, the prince.  
Robert is referred to as Rey (King).  
Maryse is referred to as Reyna Consorte (Queen Consort).

People shouted it from the rooftops. They’d finally captured the crew of the Sea Wolf, one of the most well-known pirate ships in the area. And not only had they captured the crew, but they’d captured the captain, the famed Pirate King. 

Rumors were flying around the palace. They said the Pirate King was small and frail. They’d all expected the famed warrior they had all imagined, tall and strong and scary, but it seemed like this one was… not. 

Isabel sat in the alcove of her mashrabiya, watching over the main square of the palace. It was the time of the day where the merchants her family allowed to work here were setting up. She would be able to come and see them later in the day, make some purchases. For now, she was confined in her room until the pirate prisoners were taken to the cells. They were still in the throne room with her parents and Alejandro, her older brother and the  _ Principe _ .

Isabel disliked being kept away from the proceedings. She knew her father would probably sentence the pirates to death or life in the cells, but she still would have enjoyed seeing what they looked like. 

There was a light knock at the door and Isabel shouted for them to come in. 

“Excuse my interruption,  _ Alteza Real _ , but you asked to see me?”

Isabel turned around, looking at the young woman who was standing now in front of the closed again door. Clarisa was a young noble, whose parents had rather recently come to the court. Her name was actually Clarice, and she was a Morgenstern, from an old German family, allied to the Madera Clara family for centuries. 

Clarisa was sweet, and had become a good friend of Isabel’s. Such a good friend that she was now going to ask her to commit something that could get her in a mountain of trouble. 

“Yes. I want to visit the cells before the pirates are executed. And I want to meet the Pirate King.” 

“You what?” Clarisa blurted out, before she brought a hand to her mouth. “Sorry, Señora, I was just surprised.” 

“I know it’s a lot to ask,” Isabel said, standing from the alcove and walking over to her friend. “But I need to meet him.” 

Clarisa swallowed. “Her. It’s a her, Señora.” 

Isabel grinned. “Even more reasons to visit the cells. I want to know how a woman becomes Pirate King.” She looked at her friend. “Find me a way to get to her, will you? I know you know some of the people who work at the cells.” 

Clarisa nodded. “Yes, Señora. Anything else?” 

“Is she beautiful? Because if she is, I might petition Father to save her. That would be quite the beautiful tale. Rey Roberto III pardons woman pirate, who becomes Infanta Isabel’s maid.” Isabel hummed. 

“I don’t think she’ll want to be your maid.” 

Isabel shrugged. “She’ll want to be my maid if she doesn’t want to die.”

Clarisa hummed. “What if she’s not beautiful? Then will you let her die?” 

“A woman’s value is more in beauty than anything else,” Isabel walked towards the alcove again, sitting down a bit heavily. “Or at least it’s what they all say.”

Clarisa was about to open her mouth but Isabel pouted, so she closed it. Isabel looked back at the outside world again, at the people she was so rarely able to be around. There was a beat of silence, with the occasional sound of Clarisa brushing her hand over her skirts. 

“Why do you read then, if your beauty is your only value, Señora?” Clarisa asked after a moment and Isabel paused.

“What else would I do all day?” Isabel replied. “Now, go, Clarisa, I want to be alone.” She ordered. 

She heard Clarisa walk out of the room and she sighed deeply. Clarisa was right in saying she was somewhat hypocritical. Isabel was tired. She was tired of the way this world worked. She knew she was more valued for her beauty than for her wits, and she wanted to make the rest of the world go that way too, so then she wouldn’t be the only one stuck like this. 

Isabel rolled her eyes at her own pitiful thoughts. She was the Infanta. She was much better than any of these people. She was much more precious than any other woman in the kingdom. She was maybe even more precious than her mother Marisa, the  _ Reyna consorte _ . 

\-----------------------

  
  


Night came. Isabel was waiting for Clarisa to come to help her undress, and the younger woman was late. _ Idiota.  _ All about big words about beauty not being the most important thing, and yet unable to fulfill her duties. Isabel was tired of her insolence. 

She liked Clarisa, she did, but such insolence wouldn’t stand for long. This was not the Morgenstern Family Manor, this was the court of  _ Rey Roberto III _ . She would need to be taught much proper manners. 

The door opened and Clarisa walked through it, carrying a bag. 

“Finally, Clarisa!” Isabel exclaimed, standing up. “I have been awaiting you. What did you have more important to do than attend your Infanta’s bedding?” She asked angrily. 

“I apologize,  _ Alteza Real _ , but I was in the dungeon, arranging for your visit to the Pirate King.” 

Isabel froze. “That is an excuse I’ll take. What’s in the bag?” 

“Some clothing for you. Men’s clothing, so your skirts will not attract attention as we sneak into the night.” Clarisa explained, and she started taking out the various items of clothing. “It’s just some pants, Señora.” 

“I have worn pants before, Clarisa.” Isabel added. “I’ll need to get out of that dress first.” 

Clarisa helped Isabel out of her dress and into the much less fancy and much more appropriate set of pants and wide shirt. From very far away, a very drunk man could almost believe that she was a man. Which was what they were hoping for anyway. 

The night guards of the cells the Pirate King was imprisoned in were known in the palace for their inability to stay sober, and for the high assassination rate of the prisoners in their guards.  _ Rey Roberto III _ never complained about that last part. 

They snuck out of the room with a candlestick, and quickly made their way down towards the cells. They walked past the guards just at the right time, where they were getting some wine and were not focused on what was going on around them. 

Clarisa led her Infanta towards one of the last cells of the row, small and narrow. She took the keys that her friend had given her and opened the cell. 

“Careful,  _ Alteza Real _ . She might be wild, still. She’s only spent a few hours here.” Clarisa whispered. 

A chuckle erupted from a shadowy figure sitting against the wall, across the door. Isabel turned towards them. There was a small rattle of chains. 

“ _ Alteza… _ ” a voice came from the figure. “The Infanta herself visiting little old me? That’s unexpected.” 

Isabel licked her lips and pushed open the door. She walked into the cell, with the candlestick. The soft yellow light pushed away the shadows. 

The Pirate King was a relatively small woman, with dark coily hair, dark skin and dark eyes. African, Isabel noted. And gorgeous. 

Dirty, maybe. They hadn’t let her bathe. They never let them bathe. They were enemies of the Crown. This woman was an enemy of the Crown as well. 

“What’s your name?” Isabel asked. 

“It’ll be King, for you,” the woman replied, looking at her in the eyes. 

“King is not a woman’s name.”

“I’m not a woman. I’m the Pirate King, and you’ll address me as such.” She said, basically hissing. 

“Clarisa told me you were feral, I should have expected you wouldn’t behave correctly,” Isabel huffed, looking down at the prisoner. “I’m Infanta Isabel Sofia MaderaClara.” 

“Congratulations.”

Isabel ground her teeth. She hated the woman’s behavior. 

“I have an offer for you. I will ask my father, Rey Roberto III to pardon you.” Isabel whispered. “Spare your life, in exchange for serving me as my maid.” 

“I dislike the very idea of serving you, Alteza.”

“It’s Alteza Real. And you will have no other option if you want to live.” Isabel explained further. 

“I outrank you, Isabel.” 

Isabel opened her mouth then closed it again. The woman was staring at her with a somewhat playful look in her eyes, as if she wasn’t playing with her life as only bargaining chip. She was talking to her as if they were even closer than friends. 

Only Alejandro and the other members of her direct family called her Isabel. The men that Isabel had had small adventures with had all addressed her correctly, even as they groped her breasts through her clothing and kissed her. 

Isabel hummed. She gently lowered herself to be at the same level as the woman, and looked at her. 

“Your crown is not recognized by my people,” she said. 

“Your people think you’re as shallow as the marsh land on the south-east coast of the kingdom, Isabel. Are they right?” The woman asked, looking at her. 

“They do not know me.” 

“Then why do you claim to know they do not recognize my crown?” She said, her eyes boring into Isabel’s with such a light of wit that it made her almost dizzy. 

Isabel swallowed and stood back up. She took a couple of steps back, but kept the candle close to the woman’s face. 

“I would hate for you to go to waste and die. Take my offer.” Isabel said firmly before getting out of the cell. She forced herself not to listen to the woman’s answer to her parting words. 

Isabel stayed silent as she walked up the stairs again. Her mind replayed her encounter with the Pirate King over and over again, how she’d refused to give Isabel her name then had proceeded to disrespect her by calling her Isabel and not Alteza Real or Senora. 

She was gorgeous, at least of face. Isabel had not been able to discern more than brown skin when it came to the rest of her body.

She was witty and full of the kind of spirit that made something in Isabel shudder.   
  



End file.
